UPSC Prelims 2007 Q76: Geography – Indian Agriculture & Land Use

UPSC Prelims 2007, General Studies Paper I · Geography

Assertion (A): There are no tea plantations in any African country. Reason (R): Tea plants need fertile soil with high humus.

Answer: (d) A is false but R is true

Explanation

Tea in Africa

Statement	Fact	Verdict
A: No tea plantations in any African country	Kenya is one of the world's top tea exporters; Malawi, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda also grow tea	FALSE
R: Tea needs fertile soil with high humus	Tea grows best in deep, well-drained, acidic soil rich in humus	TRUE

Tea growing conditions:

Factor	Need
Temperature	20-30 °C
Rainfall	150-300 cm, well spread out
Slope	Gentle hill slopes — no waterlogging
Soil	Acidic, humus-rich loam
Labour	Cheap and skilled — leaves are hand-plucked

Answer: (d) A is false but R is true.

(a) Incorrect. A is false — Kenya alone is among the world's largest tea exporters.
(b) Incorrect. A is false, so 'both true' is wrong.
(c) Incorrect. It is the reverse: A is false and R is true.
(d) CORRECT. Africa does grow tea (Kenya, Malawi, Uganda); tea does need humus-rich soil.

Kenya is a top tea exporter, so A is false. Tea needs acidic, humus-rich, well-drained soil on slopes — R is true.

Kenya grows and exports huge amounts of tea — Africa has tea plantations.

Thinking tea is grown only in Asia (India, China, Sri Lanka).
Forgetting that tea needs well-drained slopes — standing water kills the roots.
Confusing tea's acidic soil need with crops like cotton that prefer black soil.

Top tea producers: China, India, Kenya, Sri Lanka. Kenya is often the largest exporter of black tea.